Losing Your Pounds of Pain: Breaking the Link Between Abuse, Stress, and Overeating

by Doreen Virtue

Book Overview

Describes the connection between overeating and emotional pain, and argues that emotional problems must be resolved before excess weight can be lost and a healthy weight maintained. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1561709506
• Release Date: January 2002
• Publisher: Hay House Inc
• Length: 200 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.5" x 0.5" x 5.5"

Customer Reviews

Reclaim Your Self-Esteem

Walling off emotions can lead to headaches, ulcers, substance abuse, sleeping or eating disorders, or a host of body-destroying additions." ~Miriam Neff, Women and Their Emotions Doreen Virtue has an interesting theory about weight loss. She says you have to lose your emotional pain before the weight will drop off. She could be right because food can be a comfort and if you are really in pain, there is nothing you can eat that will take away emotional distress. Well, maybe a lot of chocolate, which contains chemicals (PEA) to make you feel "in love." Page 191 can be enlightening for anyone who uses chocolate as a love fix. This book is a result of Doreen's work in an all-female psychiatric hospital. Here, she met women struggling with deep emotional pain, stress, grief, depression, rage and dissatisfaction with their work, marriage and life in general. When she started to specialize in eating disorders, she did not realize the devastating effects of emotional neglect, verbal assaults and other abuses. Frankly, before reading this book, I didn't think about "emotional neglect" as being a cause of eating disorders. Now it makes sense to me. I'm pretty sure most women could tell you why they are in pain and Doreen says that pain should not be blindly accepted. She says: "it is a signal that something is wrong and needs to be changed or healed." She even goes as far to say that "every extra pound you carry on your body equals a pound of emotional pain you're carrying in your heart." Doreen also explains how serotonin has to be created every night and explains how this occurs and why melatonin is needed. If your REM sleep is interrupted, there can be groggy consequences. Apparently alcohol can interfere with REM sleep. This entire book seems to be dealing with the issues of self-esteem and listening to Self-Esteem: Your Fundamental Power by Carolyn Myss and reading Fed Up by Wendy Oliver-Pyatt might also be helpful. The author discusses dream analysis, exercise, meditation and discusses a variety of abusive situations that may need to be dealt with in order for your body to finally shed the pounds along with the pain. Personally, I've found that working out on a regular basis has helped my self-esteem and yoga has been especially healing. Yoga seems to encourage you to eat healthy foods and by cutting out soda (replace with a packet of "lite" Emer'gen C, fruit juice concentrate and aloe juice for body healing) and sugary foods (look for chocolate by Hershey's with only 1 gram Carbs)your appetite will not be as aggressive. By increasing protein and taking supplements your body is craving, you can work your way into a more balanced lifestyle. Give yourself time, this entire area of self-esteem can take years to heal and you might have to make some drastic lifestyle changes in order to see your life turn around. Finding one person who believes in you and supports you in your efforts, even if it is an author, will be immensely helpful. Dor

Very Healing for Females with Weight or Abuse Issues!

This book is a great tool not only for women who desire to shed unwanted extra pounds, but for women who have experienced any form of abuse (especially sexual abuse during childhood) as well. So, even if you are not significantly overweight, you may find yourself interested in this book anyway. It provides many case studies outlining how and why women retain extra weight because of emotional issues, and gives many practical and spiritual ways to lose the weight. Simply reading the book can help you lose weight and heal from old abuse issues, whether you consciously remember the abuse or not. The information in this book will help you to better understand your relationship with food, your body, and yourself, and heal yourself in a practical, easy-does-it approach, with spiritual and metaphysical applications that take you beyond conventional therapy approaches. You may be quite surprised with some of the insights that come to you about yourself and your life as you work with this book. Highly recommended!

Opened My Eyes - FABULOUS Book!

This is the BEST "diet" book I have ever read -- it's NOT a diet! Helped me to dig below the surface to discover why I chose to eat myself to obseity and put me on the right road to recovery. A marvelous book for anyone who tries to eat away their pain.

This book saved my life and gave me hope

I can't even express how much this book helped me. I realize how much my overeating has to do with being neglected as a child and searching for something to fill me up. This book helps you realize why your overeating and helps you heal. This book was life changing for me. I have hope that I can be happy and healthy again.I cannot thank the author enough. She saved me and gave me hope. I pray that others who are suffering will get this book and apply it in thier lives.

What a wonderful book!

Doreen Virtue writes as though she is your best friend sitting on the couch talking to you. She is warm, non judgmental and understanding. I know, for a fact, that there is a link between child abuse and obesity later in life as Doreen points out but little information is available about this topic. This book will help anyone who is overweight even if they never suffered any abuse. Bravo, Doreen!